


Just a Baby

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 15:13:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4671374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Damian knows that being jealous of a baby is unbecoming. Dick just wants to remind him that it doesn't matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Baby

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr prompt, for 1000 followers.
> 
> I DON’T EVEN KNOW. Damian’s 13-15, this is post everyone’s deaths. Damian knew/assumed Dick was awake at least part of the time. As mentioned, they’re all at Wayne manor. Damian threatens Dick with replacing him with Mar’i as his favorite Grayson for the next like, thousand years. Damian succeeds and becomes Mar’i’s favorite uncle. I really just liked the image of a cuddle pile with Dick and his fave gal and his fave brother/son. Kory definitely wakes up first and kisses both Dick and Damian’s faces. Then lets Mar’i crawl and drool all over them.

There wasn’t a bed in Mar’i’s nursery. Just her crib. That had been the plan, they had done that for a reason. For Mar’i’s development, for their own sanity. _Helicopter parent_ was not a good look for either him or Kory, and they were both trying their hardest to distance themselves from the possibility.

So how they ended up dozing amongst the stuffed animals in the corner opposite the crib _again_ , for the fourth time _this week_ , Dick would never know.

Not that he was much focused on that thought right now.

No, instead, he was focused on Kory nestled into his side. The warmth she was emitting, her arm possessively around his hips. The smell of her hair, the light hum of her breathing. How much he was undeniably and completely _in love_ with her.

He was also focused on the fact that… _that_ wasn’t what woke him up.

Oh, wait. No, that was the door.

Dick shifted slightly, eyes barely open, ready to call out to whoever had just came in. It could only be one of a few people, and Dick wasn’t nervous about intruders or potential kidnappers. The manor’s security system was pretty sturdy, if he did say so himself.

But the room was too dark, the figure too shadowed, and Dick was too groggy. So instead, he watched in silence, as the small figure tiptoed across the room, silently latched onto the edge of the crib, and leaned over its side.

In the pause that followed, Dick also watched the silhouette of a massive dog trot into the room, too.

“I don’t get it.” Damian – so _obviously_ Damian – whispered as Titus sat at his side. The child wasn’t talking to the dog, though, but rather, the sleeping baby in front of them. “I just don’t _get_ it.”

Titus tried to stick his nose through the bars, sniffed loudly at what Dick could only assume was Mar’i’s hand.

“You’re just a _baby_.” Damian continued, sounding almost forlorn. Dick couldn’t stop his eyebrows from furrowing in concentration and worry. “What’s so _special_ about you?”

And Dick was struggling to put it together. Struggling, for once, to piece together Damian’s logic. Because it wasn’t like Damian spent any time with Mar’i. Frankly, since she’d been born, Damian had been more or less scarce, either always in his room or in the cave. Even on the few patrols Dick had dared to go on, Damian always found a way to avoid him. Even avoid Kory, that one night Dick needed her help in rescuing his kid brother.

So what was his pr-

“I had to _earn_ your father’s respect. And his… _love_.” Damian whispered harshly, dropping his chin onto the crib’s railing. “So why don’t _you?_ ”

Oh.

“You can’t even _talk_. He can’t have an _intelligent conversation_ with you. Me, on the other hand…” Damian sighed, and Dick watched, feeling his heart drop, just a little bit, as Damian reached down, ran his hand gently over Mar’i’s stomach. “This must have been how Drake felt. When _I_ replaced _him_.” A pause. “And history is always doomed to repeat, I guess.”

Titus whined lowly.

“It’s not _fair_.” Damian whispered, after a moment, mostly to himself. He withdrew his hand, pushed off the crib. “You’re _just_ a _baby_.”

He turned, then, back towards the door, snapping quietly until Titus spun around to follow.

And Dick couldn’t stop himself. If caring for others was considered one of his greatest strengths, then his biggest weakness was Damian’s insecurities.

He rolled completely to his back, and called, “Dames.”

Damian stopped at the threshold, kept his gaze down at his feet, even as Titus stopped behind him. “Go back to sleep, Grayson. You need your rest.”

Dick grinned, sleepy and lopsided. He’d want to strangle this kid if he wasn’t so darn precious.

“C’mere, Damian.” Dick flopped his arm out, accidentally hit the stuffed horse that neighed when it was squeezed too hard. Luckily for him, Mar’i didn’t stir. Kory only burrowed further into his side. Damian hesitated a moment longer, but began moving long before Dick added a quiet, “Please?”

His tiptoes were more stomps this time, as he neared Dick’s side. And when he was close enough, Dick lashed out, grabbing hold of the sleeve of his hoodie and dragging him downwards, into his open side. To Damian’s credit, he came more or less willingly, with the only sign of annoyance being a quick huff. He mimicked Kory’s pose, curling his knees in and resting his head on Dick’s shoulder, with the only difference being that instead of flopping his arm across Dick’s shirt, he curled both fists into his own chest.

Dick didn’t mind, though, preoccupying himself instead by running his hand over Damian’s hair, kissing at his forehead.

(Titus just stumbled back to Mar’i’s crib, flopped down next to it.)

“You know I love you, right, kiddo?” He asked gently, though seriously, and very, _very_ terrified of what Damian’s answer to that might be. “And you know I’m going to _always_ love you, no matter what?”

“Hm.”

“You’re my baby just as much as Mar’i is.” Dick smiled, pecking at Damian’s forehead once again. “And I adore you _both_ the same.”

Damian just scoffed, but Dick felt the tension slowly begin to drain from his shoulders.

“…How about we go to the zoo tomorrow, eh?” Dick tried. “Just you and me.”

“That’s what you said _last_ month.” Damian reminded him solemnly. “And then you went on a two week trip to visit your Tamaranian in-laws.”

Dick cringed because – yeah, whoops. That happened. “I _promise_ this time.”

Damian curled tighter into Dick’s side, tighter into himself. “You said _that_ before, too.”

Dick sighed, holding the back of Damian’s head as he leaned his chin against his hair. “I know.” He admitted after a while. “I’m sorry, Damian.”

“It’s fine. You have a responsibility now. I understand.” Damian hummed. Kory suddenly let out a light snore, and they both glanced down at her. “But…perhaps you’ll keep your promise this time if…well. I mean.” Damian cleared his throat. “I would not be… _adverse_. To Koriand’r and my niece accompanying us tomorrow.”

Dick couldn’t help but grin, ruffle Damian’s hair just a little. Because this was the boy’s compromise. This was the boy’s attempt at _trying_. For Dick’s sake, for his own sake.

Maybe even for Mar’i’s sake, too.

“Yeah.” Dick whispered, squeezing both Damian and Kory closer to his person. “Yeah, I don’t think I would be either.”

“Besides, if I’m to be her _favorite_ uncle, I’ll have to befriend her somehow. Showing her the glory of the animal kingdom seems a good first step.” Damian suddenly sounded thoughtful as he practically kneaded Dick’s shirt. Dick suddenly felt more than saw Damian look up at him. “And maybe I shouldn’t be the one being worried about being _replaced_ , Grayson. There are _two_ of you now, after all.”

“Yeah, okay, save the masterminding for later there, little genius.” Dick laughed, pressing one last kiss to Damian’s hair. “You should get some sleep too.”

“I suppose.” Damian acquiesced, settling into Dick’s shoulder. Dick snorted one last chuckle. “…Goodnight, Grayson.”

Dick leaned his cheek on Damian’s head, rubbing gently at Kory’s arm as he chanced one last peek at the crib across the room. Mar’i’ was facing them, chubby face peaceful and calm. He sighed happily, thanking his lucky stars for the people in his life. And for these three, in particular. “Goodnight, kiddo.”


End file.
